1. Background of the Invention
The field of this invention is the control of one""s environment by a disabled individual, commonly a quadriplegic or others with similar handicaps.
2. Background
There are many devices that have been proposed and actually utilized by quadriplegics and other disabled individuals that permit them to control their immediate environment. They are able with verbal command to turn on a television set, reduce its volume or change its station. There are many other devices that they can control such as lights, radio and even the telephone. A disabled individual has had access to such devices for many years and has been able to control his environment to a great extent and enjoy a measure of independence.
There are unfortunately thousands of quadriplegics and others similarly disabled and there are hundreds more being added every day. Consequently there are a significant number of people who are talented, well educated and well trained in diverse areasxe2x80x94in science, law, engineering and literature who could benefit from access to a computer. These individuals are a great resource for the nation and if their abilities could be utilized, this resource could produce enormous benefits for the individuals themselves, their families and, of course, the nation and world at large. Disabled people concentrate on their work more than people who are not disabled because they have such a strong desire to be productive.
The present inventors have designed devices and products which have enabled disabled individuals to control their environment in many ways. They have now discovered a method and means to enable those disabled individuals to control their environment even more by utilizing a computer.
Computers today, specifically the Macintosh and the Windows applications for IBM, are controlled not only by a keyboard but by a mouse. The mouse is a device which takes physical movement, usually on a flat surface, and converts it into commands which control an arrow or a similar cursor on a screen which permits an operator to select specific items on pulldown menus or on menus or dialog boxes that are presented on the screen. When it is clicked by means of a button on the mouse that item in the menu or dialog box is selected and the individual can then have available to him whatever he selected on the menu. Control, therefore, of the computer is by way of the mouse. There are other commands that are picked out on the keyboard by some pre-programmed keys that set in motion several steps, sometimes referred to as macros. In any event, all of these or a combination of these signals can be accomplished by the present invention in such a manner that the quadriplegic can at the beginning of a day turn on the lights in his or her room, open the windows and also turn on his or her computer. Without assistance, he or she can even turn on the modem. Once the modem is on, he or she is in contact with the world. When they finish their work, they can transfer it by means of the modem to an employer or individual located anywhere in the world. They can now truly be part of the work force again.
Such a procedure will enable quadriplegics to edit technical material or literature, write newsletters, even books, and also share their input. They can also, through computer aided drafting devices, design products, bridges and whatever else that is needed. The possibilities are endless. The only stumbling block preventing this is a product that is reliable, easily used and permits the individual to control his or her environment, including the personal computer, as readily as his non-disabled colleagues.
One of the great difficulties presented which has frustrated the accomplishment of these goals has been applications that are normally running in the computer that interfere with one another, especially applications for the disabled if they are internal to the personal computer. The accomplishment of the present invention is in the exclusive use of verbal commands external to the personal computer such that any application currently available to a personal computer owner is also available and useable by the disabled. The present invention does not interfere with or even couple directly to the applications running within the personal computer. The present invention is entirely external to, yet controls entirely, a personal computer.
The present invention provides parallel voice input and control of a keyboard and mouse that is and can continue to be used normally by any non-disabled individual simultaneously with a disabled person.
A significant benefit has been discovered. A quadriplegic can have an ongoing relationship with a non-disabled individual; that is, they can actually play cards and other games on the computer together. More importantly, a person familiar with an application can train a quadriplegic in its use by working with him or her simultaneously. This alone is an enormous advantage. Just about anyone who can operate a mouse and keyboard can train, work with and have fun with a disabled person.
In fact, the process could be reversed as a general training tool. The instructor can control the computer verbally or with a second keyboard and mouse while the regular keyboard and mouse are controlled by an individual trainee. In that case it could be an individual who is not disabled.
Our present concern is with the training of a disabled individual in the control of a personal computer, mouse and keyboard in parallel with a normal keyboard and mouse.
The present invention was developed in such a way that the input to the computer processing unit from the keyboard and mouse is intercepted and combined with verbal commands from the quadriplegic individual to control the personal computer and especially the cursor on the screen which is positioned by the mouse before a selection is made.
Some disabled people are unable to speak. They have been able to trip a switch or even a dual switch. Even with such limited physical abilities, a disabled person can be trained to control a keyboard and mouse by means of Morse code. They, of course, cannot take advantage of the voice applications on a personal computer, but they certainly can turn it off or on and type a message and operate a modem.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a voice controlled computer mechanism for quadriplegics.
Another object of the present invention is to provide means for controlling a keyboard and mouse by verbal commands.
Another object of the present invention is to provide parallel inputs with verbal commands with those of normal input commands from a keyboard and mouse at the same time.
Another object of the present invention is to monitor all voice commands before applying them to a personal computer.
Another object of the present invention is to retain certain keyboard commands to provide multiple keystroke commands where required.
Another object of the present invention is to lock selected keyboard commands for later release by other keyboard commands.
Another object of the present invention is to provide Morse code in place of voice by means of dual switches for disabled individuals who cannot speak.
Another object of the present invention is to enable a disabled person to run a personal computer without any assistance from anyone.
Another object of the present invention is to enable a disabled person to operate a computer without any appliances or special devices attached to it.
Another object of the present invention is to enable a disabled person to operate a computer through a single microphone.
Another object of the present invention is to permit dynamic control of a mouse such that it can be speeded up or slowed down or even the direction changed while in motion.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mouse that can be controlled one pixel at a time to achieve an accuracy unachievable in a physical mouse.
Another object of the present invention is to provide means for operating a computer that is completely independent of applications or programs running in a personal computer.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device that can replace a keyboard and mouse completely on a personal computer.